John Cena Was Banned From Using One Move on His WWE Retirement Tour
John Cena has revealed the one move WWE banned him from doing in his final run before retiring.
On Saturday night, Cena wrestles his final ever match before hanging up his jorts and calling time on his incredible wrestling career.
At the start of the year, Cena embarked on an unprecedented farewell tour which included 36 dates and a host of iconic matches and moments.
Cena, who won a historic 17th world title at WrestleMania, will square off against Gunther in Washington, D.C after the Ring General won a tournament for the opportunity to retire the 48-year-old.
Advert
Arguably the greatest wrestler of all time, Cena lobbied for his final match to feature up and coming stars against established WWE talents on the rest of the card and there are rumours that he is poised to open the show on his big send-off as opposed to headlining.
Cena has otherwise allowed WWE to call the shots but ahead of his last dance in the squared circle, he revealed that WWE turned down one of his ideas.
Wrestling a different style at the start of his run and turning heel in shock fashion, Cena looked at adding further moves to his arsenal during his matches in a bid to mask what he felt was limited physical capabilities.
Speaking on Chris van Vliet's Insight podcast, Cena said: “I’ve leaned on what strength I have left. I’ve leaned on the wisdom I have and some of the tricks I’ve learned.
I think the glaring difference is knowing that it’s your last one, your last year, and, not that I was ever holding back, but if there is ever a point not to hold back, it’s certainly now.
"Knowing a confident why for all the matches… and especially being told like, hey from this point on, we need you to give her a little bit. We need you to get into it more.”
In his match with AJ Styles, widely seen as his best match of the last run, Cena busted out finishing moves from the likes of Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt, Big Show and The Undertaker.
However, he also revealed that he thought about incorporating the 'heart punch' - a strike to the chest that could knock out an opponent - but it was rejected by WWE from the get-go.
"That whole heart punch idea you had, it’s probably not going to work," Cena said, recalling the decision from WWE.
"Okay, let’s go. You know, I think I can ride this out.”
WWE said no to controversial move
The move was made popular by Ox Baker and the 1970's and later used by a former WWWF Champion Stan 'The Man' Stasiak.
However, there is some controversy attached to it. Two of Baker's former opponents, Alberto Torres and Ray Gunkel, in 1971 and 1972 respectively, died shortly after facing him.
Though Torres is said to have died from a ruptured appendix and Gunkel a heart attack, it was pushed as a storyline that the move was responsible for both deaths.
Such hate and disdain developed for Baker that a riot took place in 1974 in Cleveland.
Cena will move away from WWE for good after a decorated career which has lasted more than two decades but he is still set to retain a role in the company.
He told WWE's YouTube channel that he has signed a deal to be an ambassador for five years, stating "I would like to be in this family as an employee and as a contributing part for as long as I can".
Josh Lawless